Lyell
by spotsbang
Summary: Wanda and Ian are having their first child...
1. Chapter 1

It had begun seven months ago, when I finally connected missing my periods with something larger than a passing oddity. Now I was there, at last. I took a deep breath. "You okay?" Ian looked down at me, eyes full of concern. "We can still take you to a healer, if you like. Are you sure you want to do this here?" I smiled. I had insisted on staying in the caves for the birth. I wanted Ian to be there, and Mel, and I knew we could never risk that outside.

"I'm sure." I told him. "And relax. Everything is going to be fine." I reached up on tiptoe to kiss him. For a moment I was acutely aware of him, and the way I moved with him, his warm hand on my back, his warm lips on mine. Then I felt a contraction begin, and I broke away. I leaned into Ian as the strange pain in my abdomen grew, then slowly faded. After I recovered, I looked back at Ian. "Can we walk around a little?" He nodded. "Do you need to go see Doc?" I shook my head. "Not just yet. Let's just walk."

Within a few hours, though, I knew it was time. Ian and I made our way over slowly. He was tense and worried, but as for myself, though the contractions were becoming more frequent and painful, I felt a strong sense of excited elation, and a calm that seemed out of place.

The next while that I spent in our little hospital blurred a bit, but it was a fairly smooth ride the whole way. I only became focussed again when Doc leaned over with a smile and told me the baby was crowning. Then, so soon, it was over, and for a moment, I panicked. My baby was no where to be seen.

Then Melanie walked up next to me, holding a blanket-wrapped bundle. She had happy tears in her eyes as she whispered, "Oh Wanda, he's beautiful." Then she laid him in my arms.

No words can describe what I felt the first time I looked into my baby's lively blue eyes. The phrase "my heart soared" took on a new meaning. I took a deep breath. I had never in my entire existence felt such pure, simple joy.

Ian came and knelt next to me. He stared at our baby with a look of such adoration that it made my heart swell anew. "Lyell?" I breathed. "Is that what we'll call him, then?" Ian nodded. "Lyell." he agreed. The perfect name for our perfect son.

Lyell gazed up at us and gurgled. I had never heard a sweeter sound.


	2. Chapter 2

The first few months with Lyell were blissful. He was a very happy little baby, always smiling and gurgling, and everybody loved him. People who lived all over the caves made excuses to come visit him, bringing bits of food or their own children's outgrown clothes, or old toys. He really was enchanting, with Ian's dark hair and my gray eyes, a stubby little nose and his toothy smile.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly. Ian and I were happier than ever with our little son between us, and Mel was pregnant. Two new humans, Isabel and Joey, had come to live with us, and we kept in touch with the group of humans we had encountered months before.

One day Lyell had a cough. I wasn't very worried at first, though Ian, of course, was. We took him to Doc, who looked down his throat and felt his neck. Doc frowned as he told us it was probably nothing. That was my first clue, the first worrying factor.

A couple days later Lyell's cough was wet, and the next day bloody. By now I was downright frightened, and Ian was panicked. Doc said it was probably pneumonia, which could be very dangerous for a five month old baby. It was worse yet because Doc had no way of treating it. He didn't know if any of the soul medicines we had would work, and was afraid to try in case it worsened the situation.

I felt trapped. Lyell was my first priority. He was more important to me than anyone I had ever known, even Ian. I couldn't keep him here, where there was no guarantee of his recovery, and when there were easy treatments just a drive away. But how could I take him there, a human baby, into a world inhabited with souls?

For a moment my mind crawled with horrible images of someone like the seeker dragging my Lyell away, robbing him of his humanity, all but killing him. Then I shook my head and took a deep breath. No. It was humans I was thinking about. The souls weren't like that. And besides, we had seen a human baby with souls for parents, happy, thriving.

My mind flashed back to the seeker. She couldn't be the only one of her kind, of cruel souls. I frowned. I was thinking like a human. Souls were compassionate. They would never take my baby. But yet- hadn't they taken the humans? I groped for the fuzzy memory of Melanie's capture. They chased her down an elevator shaft. _Down an elevator shaft_, just to get her body, and news of how to get other humans. My stomach clenched with fear.

The next day there was no choice. Lyell shivered on and off, and his fever was up. His breathing was shallow, and he was still coughing up blood. Ian was tense as he followed me up through the caves.

I drove the car, alone with Lyell. I didn't want Ian to come. There was no reason for him to be there. After all, he couldn't come in. Lyell cooed in the backseat as I went. I realized it was the first time he had been out of the caves. What must it feel like to him? Strange movements and strange scenery rushing by. He was happy, curious. Not I.

My heart raced as I turned off the freeway. I parked in front of the low, well-lit building and took Lyell out of the backseat. The doors opened automatically as I approached, and I entered. A starched looking receptionist sat behind a clean white desk to my right. I approached the desk and took a deep breath.

"Hello." I started. "My name is Deep Song." I picked a name I'd never used before, of a friend on the bat planet. "This is my son, Lyell."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **

**First of all, thanks for all the reviews, favorite stories, story alerts, etc.**

**I love reading reviews and all the rest make me really happy. Please give me constructive criticism, very helpful. Also, for the record I'm not very knowledgeable about writing, especially format for stories... Most of the stuff I know about that I picked up from reading.**

**Second of all, I know my chapters have been short and I promise I will TRY to get them longer. Thanks for letting me know. :)**

**Lastly... I don't have a clear idea of where this is going, and I'm afraid it will get so that it jumps around and doesn't have a clear plotline, so if anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears. **

**Thanks for reading!**

The receptionist's bright smile faded a little as she looked intently at Lyell. "Yes- er- what seems to be the matter?" The small burst of confidence I'd felt was gone. My heart went faster than ever, and I felt sweat creeping up my brow. "He's been coughing up blood." I managed. "I'm not sure what's wrong."

The receptionist finally tore her eyes away from Lyell and looked down at a clipboard. "There's about a ten minute wait, I'm afraid. Could you fill in your name here?" She passed me the clipboard, and I wrote the name I'd chosen in the first empty box.

"Thank you." she said. "You can have a seat right here, and a healer will be right with you." I smiled faintly and walked to sit down in one of the comfortable dark blue chairs. There were only two other people in the room, besides the receptionist, and as I sat, their eyes were trained on the small someone in my arms.

I tried to ignore their fascinated gazes. I reminded myself that they meant no harm. These were souls, peaceful, gentle souls, who had probably never encountered a human, and were curious. It was odd, I reflected, how much I had grown accustomed to the people I lived with, even adopted their rather rougher ways.

"Deep Song? Healer Jessica will see you now." I stood and walked to the desk. "In that door and to your right, dear." the receptionist said, all smiles again. I walked through the door she indicated and turned into a small white room. "I'm Healer Jessica." said the pretty woman standing inside. "Welcome to our healing facility."

She directed me to the raised table in the middle of the room, and told me to set Lyell down. I liked this woman. She had none of the odd, cheery falseness of the receptionist. Her expressions were clear, see-through, easy to interpret. She went right to business, looking rather like Doc, as she prodded Lyell's neck and listened to his breathing. She shone a light down his throat and poked around for a moment, then stood and walked to the cabinet nearby, efficient and officious.

"His condition is easily treatable. Just give me a few minutes to find what I need. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions while I do?" The human part of me told me to be wary of what I said. The soul part brushed that away. "Of course."

The healer rustled through different bottles in the cabinet. "This is your biological child?" I nodded, and she glanced over at me. "He is still human." It was a statement, not a question. "Have you considered insertion?"

I shook my head. "My partner and I would prefer to keep him as he is." I replied, surprising myself with how calm it sounded. She frowned slightly. "I see. Do you think you will ever give him up for a host?" I bit my lip, nervous. "No, I don't think so."

"Where is your partner now?" This was starting to feel more like an interrogation than a few questions. "Forgive me," said Healer Jessica, noticing my discomfort, "you don't have to answer anything you don't want to."

"No, it's fine. My partner works as a photographer. He's in Miami on a shoot." I said, inventing wildly. She smiled. "An Artist. How wonderful. Does he share your commitment to keeping your child human?" I nodded. If she only knew how much.

Healer Jessica finally found the bottle she was looking for. She opened Lyell's mouth and placed a pale violet tissue square on his tongue. Then she pulled out a canister of something and sprayed it into his mouth. "There, all done." she proclaimed. "If his symptoms persist, give him this-" she handed me a bottle of thick red liquid- "daily. About a tablespoon should do."

I picked up Lyell and took the bottle from the healer. "Thank you." Healer Jessica frowned. It looked out-of-place on her kind, placid face. "Would you mind stepping into my office for a moment?" I told myself this was nothing, but I felt a fresh wave of anxiety wash over me as I followed the healer through the back door of the room.

The office was small and sparsely furnished, with a desk and chair, a few lamps, and a comfortable-looking couch. Healer Jessica motioned for me to sit, then spoke. "Would you mind waiting here for a moment? You can browse our magazines if you like." she indicated a small stack of magazines on the desk. "I'll be back shortly."

As she closed the door, I thought I heard a slight _click_, like a lock engaging. I assured myself that I was being paranoid, but when the healer was out of sight, I nonetheless crept to the door and tried it. It was locked. She had actually locked me in. I looked at Lyell, on the couch, looking at me intently. When I smiled he smiled back, and I felt a small portion of comfort.

Healer Jessica was long in returning. I couldn't be sure, but I thought it took her about fifteen minutes to come back. "I'm sorry." she said, as she beckoned. "I didn't mean to take so long." There was something frightening in her expression, something apologetic and despairing. She ushered me out of the office and then out of the first room, into the hallway. "I'm sorry." she said softly, as she closed the door behind me.

I walked quickly, eager to be out of the place, that was once my home, but now enemy territory. I opened the door into the waiting room, and smiled at the receptionist. To my slight dismay, she wore the same expression as Healer Jessica had. I hurried through the waiting room to the automatic doors and through them. Then I froze. A group of armed, uniformed seekers surrounded the exit.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

**One very clever reviewer alerted me to the fact that I said Lyell's eyes were blue in the first chapter, and gray in the second. Lyell's eyes are, in fact, gray. I did a bit of fact-checking between those two chapters and found out that Wanda's eyes were gray, and that's what I was trying to base it on. Thanks for bearing with me. :)**

"Hello, Ma'am." said a burly seeker, stepping towards me. He had a mildly texan drawl. "What's your name?" My eyes roved around the crescent of seekers that surrounded me, searching for a way out of this mess. "Ehm- Deep Song," I said uncertainly.

"Well, Deep Song, I'm going to have to ask you to come with us." said the seeker. "And your- er- son."

I frowned. "Have I done something wrong? On what grounds are you- arresting- me?" I stumbled over the unfamiliar word. Could they really take me away just for that, for Lyell? And seekers didn't even arrest souls. They arrested humans. So were they actually arresting my child?

The seeker frowned. "You have kept a human child." I bit my lip. "I have seen other human children. I wasn't aware it was an issue." I replied, trying to stay calm. Another seeker pulled out a notepad. "Is your child a girl or a boy?" The new seeker, a very average-looking woman, disregarded my remark. I felt my fright grow.

"A boy. His name is- Lyell." I hesitated for a moment. I had been inclined to use a fake name, but why bother? It wasn't like I was pretending he was a soul. That cat was already long out of the bag. "Age?" I glanced nervously around. "Er- five months." The seeker scribbled in her notepad. "Where was he born?"

My heart thudded. A question I hadn't anticipated, under the circumstances. I could have said a healing facility, but what if births were recorded, or monitored. "At home. My husband is a doctor." The seeker looked up, straight into my eyes, her intense, suspicious gaze seeming to bore a hole in my forehead. I remembered too late that I had told the healer my partner was an artist. Was it possible that she had told the seekers even that detail? Very, I thought.

After a moment, the seeker's gaze darted back to her notepad, and she continued scribbling. "Have you taken your baby to visit a healing facility before?" I shook my head. "There was never any reason to." The seeker hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Have you ever had any contact with humans besides your son?" her gaze moved slowly up to my face. "No." I lied flatly.

I realized a moment later that the answer might seem odd from the seekers perspective. I had forgotten to act scared, or surprised that she would ask. "Why? Have there been sightings?" I asked, to cover up the mistake, but it came too late. I could tell my awkward question had been noted. I cursed myself mentally. I couldn't afford stupidity.

The smaller seeker still stared at me, but the burly one stepped toward us. "I'm sorry miss, but I need you to get into the car now." he said, indicating the open door of a human police car. Not daring to disobey, I walked slowly toward the car and eased myself into the black plastic of the backseat, still holding Lyell. At least, I thought, they hadn't handcuffed me.

The burly seeker got in the front with the seeker that had been questioning me. The other seekers filed into their cars, and they pulled out onto the road. Lyell had begun to cry, obviously sensing that something was wrong. I set him on my lap and lifted my shirt a fraction, leaning down so that he could nurse.

Ian would worry, I thought. Ian had probably long been worried. But there was nothing I could do as I watched the medical facility grow farther and farther away, fading into the black night. I only wished I knew where they were taking me.

IAN

I paced the caves, sick with worry. I knew it would be fine. How could anything go wrong? I wished Wanda and Lyell were home, back in the safety of the caves. I wished I hadn't let them go on their own. _Please_, I thought, _if there's a god, or something, up there, let them come back safely_. I heard footsteps and stiffened, a hopeful spark passing through me. Were they home?

But no, I realized. I would have heard the commotion if they had already come. Someone was just coming to check on me. It was Sunny, who had become very close to Wanda in the year plus that she had been here. "Hey, Ian." she said, as she approached. "You okay?"

I sighed, and shrugged helplessly. "You know. Not really. Not until they come back." Sunny gave a little half smile and moved closer. "Of course you're worried. But it's alright. Remember, we can't even expect them for another half hour or so." I nodded tightly. "I know. I just wish it was over already." Sunny nodded in agreement. "Me too. But hey, while we're here, should we try to take our minds off it a little? How about a story?"

I smiled. "Sure." Sunny was an amazing storyteller. And why not, as she said, try to pass the time with something other than anxious waiting?

Sunny's story had me almost forgetting about Wanda's predicament. I was enraptured with her tale of sculpting the ice, of the colors she described in fabulous detail that shone out of the enormous works. When it was over, I felt marginally more relaxed. The half an hour was almost up. I should be seeing Wanda and Lyell in just a little while.

I felt an odd wave of happiness. When it was over, when Lyell was cured, we could go back to the way it had been. We would live peacefully here again. I would never let Wanda alone on another raid. Life would be sweet as it had been just a few days ago.

Sunny smiled at my own smile. "That's it." she encouraged. "They'll be home soon. Now how about we get a little dessert? There's cookies." she wheedled. I managed a little laugh. That did sound good. It had been a while since we lived only on chunky wheat bread and thin soup, but it wasn't everyday there was something that sweet or decadent.

By the time we had finished dessert, though, my anxiety had returned full-force. Wanda should have been back fifteen minutes ago. Sunny, and everyone else in the vicinity, kept telling me not to worry, that they had probably just had to wait at the healing facility, but it didn't help. I chewed my lip and paced more, unable to stand sitting still to wait.

After nearly an hour, I could hold it no more. "Where could they be?" I cried out, giving my small audience an agonized look. I felt cold, but my palms sweated. They should have long been back. My heart thumped like a drum in my chest. Nausea overtook my stomach, and worry my judgement. "I'm going after them." I said suddenly.

Mel jumped up from where she was sitting. "Ian, be reasonable! We're all worried, but we're letting this get out of hand. They probably just got held up." I glared at her. "You just don't care what happens to her." I flung at her. "She tried to sacrifice herself for you, but you still don't care." I felt a pang of regret at the shock and anguish in her face. "Ian..." she started, softly.

Then Jared stood. "Mel's right." he said fiercely. "You need to get a hold of yourself. We all care about Wanda and Lyell, of _course _we do. Now we need to calm down and think this out. If they're not back in a little while, we'll send out a search party, but we have to use logic. It could just aggravate the situation to rush headlong into it. They're probably heading back already. Let's just wait a little longer."

Jared was right, of course, but I couldn't agree with him. "You wait. I'm going after her. If she's on her way back, then no harm done. If she's not..." I trailed off as horrible scenarios sprang to mind. "I'm going." I said firmly. And with that, I turned to leave.

"No, Ian, wait!" cried Sunny. I stopped, but didn't turn around. "If you have to go, at least let me come." I did turn then, my eyes softening. "No, Sunny, you stay here. If something's happened, it'll be too dangerous." Sunny frowned. "Ian, I'm a soul. It's not dangerous for me. I can help you." The logic of this quickly overtook any gentlemanly chivalry I had. "Okay. Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. Summer keeps me busy. :)**

**Thank you tons for the reviews. They keep me going. Also thank you to everyone who has subscribed, added the story to their favorites, etc. You guys make me happy.**

**Lastly, sorry again about the short chapters. I've worked out a system where every chapter is longer than the last, and I'll keep working on it.**

**Thanks for the feedback. **

**Enjoy!**

WANDA

Finally the car stopped. The big seeker opened the door for me and helped me out. He lead me silently through a pair of heavy doors in a very official looking building. Inside it was cold, air conditioned against the warm night. We passed a small seeker with short, wavy blond hair, who nodded at the seeker that accompanied me. She was wearing a black turtleneck. The chills that shivered down my spine didn't stop until the last clicking of her heels on the marble floors had faded.

We walked a long way, and at last I was focused enough to look about the building. My entire surroundings seemed to be marble. It was a rather beautiful building, technically. The ceilings here were high and slightly domed, and the stone that surrounded me was highly polished and good-looking, evenly random black squiggles on pale gray stone. Technically, it was beauiful. Technically.

The feeling of the building... well... it reminded me a bit of the spiders. They never would have noticed the- _coldness-_ of the building, the strange uncomfortable sensation that seeped into my bones just from the atmosphere inside. This was all human, the strange sixth sense that had been foreign to me not so long ago.

Finally we turned through a door and into a narrower hall, brightly lit by fluorescent ceiling lights. A few more minutes along here, then we went through another door into a small office. A receptionist wearing reading glasses on a string and a burgundy blazer looked up as we entered. "Ah, yes. Good afternoon, Connor. These are them?" She looked sharply at Lyell and me.

Connor cleared his throat. "Yes. Is he-?" He broke off, and I wondered who "he" was. The receptionist gave a curt nod. "Just a moment." She pressed a button on the telephone that sat on her desk. "Mr. Kellan? They've arrived." There was a moment's pause, then an even, deep voice said, "Send them in."

The room beyond the office was very dark, but when I carried Lyell in there was a little _click_ and a bright light came on, shining directly in my face and blinding me. All was totally silent for a moment, then the door closed, loudly, and I jumped.

I stared through the sharp light, trying to glimpse the mysterious person behind it. Lyell looked up from my shoulder and started fidgeting as if he had a wail coming on. I made shushing noises to comfort him and myself, and bounced him a little on my hip. "Hello?" I asked.

Finally someone stepped forward. The light pointed toward my face still hid his appearance, but I could see the silhouette of a tall male figure. Then he spoke. "I'm not sure if the interrogation room is totally soundproof, so just in case, could you follow me?" Without waiting for a response, he walked to the back of the room and opened a door there.

I followed him wordlessly, but I felt very confused. Interrogation room, he had said. Was there really an interrogation room? Whatever would souls need one for? And all the souls here had been acting- not unfriendly, but rather- human, though I knew they were not. Wasn't capital punishment a thing of humanity's past? I brushed aside my concerns, though. I couldn't exactly ask the strange Mr. Kellan.

The room we stepped into was more normal looking. It was well lit, and sparsely furnished with a small desk, lamp, chair, and file cabinet. A computer sat on the desk among stacks of paper and files. I looked at the man who had brought me there.

Mr. Kellan, if I assumed correctly that this was him, was younger than I expected. He was probably in his early twenties at most, with dark skin and sharp, striking features. He wore black dress pants and shoes, and a flattering white dress shirt, unbuttoned at the top. Out-of-place-seeming sunglasses, dark and expensive looking, covered his eyes. He looked for all the world a spy, or an agent for something. But he was smiling.

He held out a hand as he approached me. "I'm Kellan." he said in a friendly manner. "And your name is?" I took the offered hand and shook it warily. This didn't _feel_ like an interrogation, but it could have been. "Deep Song." I said, sticking to my alibi.

Kellan seemed to notice my hesitation. His eyebrows came down almost imperceptibly. "Miss, I may not be trained, but I have been interrogating for the last seven years. I can tell when someone is lying." _Seven years. _The souls had been interrogating people all this time. And _lying_. He had experience with liars. What liars were there among souls, apart from myself?

"Please, Ma'am. You need to be honest with me. What is your name?" I swallowed hard. "Wanderer." I said quietly. "My name is Wanderer. My friends call me Wanda." The interrogator's smile was back full force. "Thank you. And now I'll show you why you should trust me."

He took a deep breath. "You need to promise me not to judge or leave before I finish explaining." I sat frozen. Judge_ what_? Kellan looked almost nervous. Then he reached up and pulled off his glasses, not looking at me. Finally, he pulled his gaze up to meet mine. I gasped. There was no silver reflection in his eyes. "I'm still human." said the man.

IAN

Sunny had managed to convince me that it would be better if she drove, so I sat woodenly in the passenger's seat, wanting to scream with frustration at how slow we were going. "Can't you go a little faster?" I asked through gritted teeth.

Sunny set her jaw. "Ian, we've been over this. I know you're anxious to get to the facility, but we can't risk raising suspicion. It would be much more time consuming, not to mention dangerous, to attract the seeker's attention." I knew she was right, but it didn't change the way I felt. I didn't reply. I could tell her nerves were worn nearly as thin as mine.

For the rest of the drive we sat in silence. Finally Sunny turned off the freeway and drove a couple minutes down a wide boulevard fringed with trees. Then a long driveway to a wide parking lot with cars sparsely parked throughout. At last I could open the door. I fairly jumped out, scanning the area until my eyes landed on a small, unremarkable dark blue sedan. I raced towards it.

It was ours, alright. I knew every scratch on it, every little dent and every stain on the inside. "They're here!" I cried, exultantly. Sunny stepped out of the car, looking mostly relieved, but there was an odd component to her expression. "Yeah... our car's here."

I frowned. "That means they must be inside. Shall we go see?" Sunny shook her head violently. "Of course not. What do you think, you could just walk into a room filled with souls? You think they wouldn't notice your eyes? No, we should wait in the car for them. If they're in there, they'll see us when they come out."

I nodded, once again unable to defy her logic. But something caught my ear. "What do you mean, if? You don't think-" I stopped, and looked at her searchingly. She shrugged. "It's really unlikely, of course. They're probably just in there. But if they had been- taken somehow, the seekers probably wouldn't have brought along the car."

My good spirits plummeted. Most of the relief I had felt momentarily was gone. "Right. And there's hardly any cars in the lot, so they probably didn't have a very long wait. What could be _taking_ them?"

Sunny put her hand on my shoulder. "Ian, it is unlikely. Don't worry too much about it. It's probably just that it's taking a while for them to diagnose and treat Lyell. Let's wait in the car for a while. If they're not out soon, I'll go in and check."

It took all I had not to beg her to go in immediately. We ended up moving the car so we could see through the windshield and right through the glass doors into the reception area, where only one of the many chairs was occupied by a small old man. We sat and waited. And waited.

After nearly fifteen minutes, the old man who had been waiting had been treated and left. The receptionist had her feet up on the desk in a relaxed way, and one of the doctors was in the waiting room with her, leaning against the desk and talking with her.

I shook my head, terror beginning to form again. "They're not here." I choked out. "It can't be taking them this long. Something's wrong." I dragged my gaze over to Sunny's. I could sense the fear and dread behind her carefully controlled mask of even blankness. "I'm going in." she said tightly.

I watched riveted as Sunny walked through the automatic doors. When they saw her, the receptionist sat up and the doctor assumed a more professional position, straightening her long coat. Sunny said something to them and the receptionist smiled. They seemed to be having greetings. Even the doctor had joined in, asking something with a curious face.

Then Sunny asked a question- I could only assume it was about Wanda- and their expressions changed suddenly. They looked agitated, upset. The receptionist said something sharply, and the doctor put a hand on Sunny's back and began escorting her to the doors again. At the door, the doctor said something to Sunny in a kind but regretful manner. I strained my eyes to hear through the car, but I couldn't make out any words, just the tone of them.

After the exchange was over, Sunny turned and headed back to the car, while the doctor turned the opposite way back through the doors. Sunny climbed back in the car silently, and though I felt bursting to ask what they had said, I managed to let her have a moment like that. Finally she looked at me, tears in her eyes. "Ian," she started, in a voice filled with fear and concern, "the seekers objected to Lyell. They've been taken."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry I haven't written in a while! I'll try to update more often.**

**Thanks for all the support. :)**

Wanda

I gaped at Kellan. Still human... but living with souls, all this time? "How?" I whispered. He looked relieved. I wondered if he'd shared this with other souls, and their reaction. Obviously no one had turned the seekers on him. He seemed to _be_ a seeker, in fact. A human seeker. Was that _possible_?

Kellan ran one hand through his cropped black hair. "I was born here, to a soul mother and father, shortly after the insurgence. At the time there were so many humans... my mother didn't want to have me inserted. By the time it was an issue, other things were falling apart. My father had cancer, and he didn't want to stay on earth."

I leaned forward, interested. "He wanted to go to the planet of the bats, probably." Kellan continued. "My mother was also troubled. She loved me as any mother would, and she was a good one. But she was conflicted. She could tell it wouldn't be acceptable for me to remain human forever, but she didn't have the heart to have me inserted when she knew and loved the part of me that would vanish."

I imagined the mother's pain, and realized the freedom that I had, living with humans who loved and accepted me. Kellan sighed deeply. "When my father was diagnosed and made his choice, she decided she wanted to go on with him. A few more years wouldn't have changed anything much for either of them, but they both felt about done with their life terms on earth."

"They just wanted a way out, an easy answer. And it really was that. My mother swore to take my secret with her. She had a conviction that I would live. In the last few months of her time here, she made sure I could. She told all the neighbors and friends that had known me that she had given me up for insertion. It wasn't very major. I was fairly isolated. My humanity disconcerted many souls I otherwise might have been friends with."

He ran his hand through his hair once more. I could sense his emotion- it seemed to weigh the very air. I wondered if he had told this story many times. "It sounds hard." I sympathized. He looked at me in an almost surprised way, as if he had forgotten I was sitting there. Lyell had fallen asleep in my arms, lulled most likely by Kellan's deep, rhythmic voice. "Yes," Kellan agreed finally. "Yes, it was hard. For me and for my mother. But as I say, she was determined."

He paused, then went on. "There was the trouble of the eyes, then. My mother searched and searched for an answer, and finally came up with one. She told everyone I had light induced migraines. Souls haven't found a cure for them, because migraines are one of those strange things that they're not really sure about, not destructive, not really defined." He rubbed his temples thoughtfully. "I've never actually had a migraine," he reflected, "but it was a brilliant idea."

Then he assumed a more somber expression. "They left, then, when I was securely a fake soul. It was their time, I guess. Their bodies weren't recycled. They were too close to the end of their life terms to. I- assimilated. I didn't really have to take on a new personality, though my mother had coached me on that. Too few people knew me to bother. I moved here, from where I grew up in Washington, and became what I am."

Kellan here shrugged in a final way. "Wow." I breathed. "You are something else." He gave me a little half smile. "Yeah, I am, right?" There was a short silence, then I wondered something. "How many people know? Like, on earth?" Kellan frowned. "One, actually. Unless your baby is super special- well, more special than normal for one of the last humans alive."

I gaped. "I'm the first one? Why?" Kellan bit his lip. "No, there was one other. A soul. I swore her to secrecy, but they managed to take her daughter away and have her inserted. She skipped off earth shortly after." I looked sadly at him. That couldn't have felt good to him. "Why me?" I pressed.

Kellan stared at me closely for a minute, as if trying to figure me out. "You know, I don't really know. I just felt like you were the right person to tell. You're very- easy to talk to, easy to trust." I gave a wry smile. What had Jamie said when I first woke up in Pet's body? _"Jared liked this face, because he said no one could ever distrust it. You don't look dangerous at all."_

Then I looked back at Kellan, who was eyeing me strangely. "So." he said suddenly. "We've got that cleared up. How about you tell me a little about yourself?" I smiled. Fair was fair. I settled in to tell my story.

IAN

"We have to find the nearest Seeker station." Sunny said determinedly. I didn't answer her at first. I was still reeling. Yes, I had been afraid of this the whole time. But I never could have imagined that it would actually happen. It had been more of a safeguard against setting my hopes too high.

Sunny looked concerned. "Ian. Ian, look at me." I obligingly dragged my gaze over to meet hers. She looked at me intensely. "Ian, you have to believe me. We _will_ find them. But we have to concentrate on how, instead of imagining all the worst case scenarios and brooding. I know it's hard, but _think_, Ian, think about how we can find them rather than about what might have happened."

I took a deep breath. She was right, of course, as usual. "Okay. How do we find a Seeker station?" Sunny chewed her lip. "The only way I can think of relies a lot on my acting skills. You may have noticed how great those are." I managed a chuckle. "I can guess about it, but tell me what you're thinking."

She turned her body towards me, looking concentrated. "Well, basically, I could just walk in somewhere- besides this healing facility, of course- and tell them I thought I had seen humans, wasn't from around here, and needed to find a seeker station."

She stopped. "But there's a lot that could go wrong there. If they wanted to know details on the humans- well, we could cover that with a story, but more likely they'll just offer to take care of it for me. Or just call seekers, which would be much simpler than going to a facility..." she chewed her lip. "I don't know." she said. "I just can't see it going very smoothly."

I frowned. "Isn't there anything else? You could, like, pretend to have caught me or something. I wouldn't mind being in danger. They could question me then, take me to the place they took Wanda and Lyell." She gave me what was almost a glare. "I asked you for a _good _idea, Ian. That is a _bad_ idea. They would just take you away and have you inserted."

She said it as if she was talking to a very small child, and I almost chuckled. It rather amused me how far she'd come, since she arrived as a meek, hopeful soul. But that wasn't our issue here. I set my mind to thinking, but it felt useless. The few ideas that occurred to me were weak and even worse than Sunny's.

Sunny frowned. "Well, I could..." she stopped, thinking hard. "If I said my partner was a seeker and he was staying here, reporting to the station or something... It might work." I raised my eyebrows, approving. "It just might," I agreed, "as long as the story was good enough."

Ten minutes later I was waiting outside a grocery store for Sunny. I watched impatiently as she spoke to the cashier. He was showing her something on the counter that I couldn't see. I drummed my fingers on the dash.

Soon, she left the store, walking quickly back toward the car. "Well?" I asked, as she opened the door and climbed in. "He gave me this." she said, passing over a sheet of paper. It had several addresses and short directions written down.

"These are the seeker stations? Sweet." she nodded. "The one on top is closest to this immediate area, but I let him put down a couple more so he didn't get suspicious. You think we should head that way?"

I looked at her like she was crazy. "What do you think we've been looking for? Let's get going." Sunny started the engine and released the parking brake, but I noticed that she wasn't smiling as she pulled back onto the road. "What's wrong?" I asked. "This is great. You did good in there."

She sighed. "I know, Ian, but _think_ about it. We get to the seeker station- then what? We can't just barge in and ask to see suspicious figures that they've arrested. How will we possibly find them once we get there?" I bit my lip. I hadn't thought that far, but now that I did, I saw our problem.

The hope that had been growing in me faded instantly. "I don't know." I whispered, surprised to find that my eyes were pricking with tears. "You're right. We'll never be able to bring them home safe. We've lost them. _I've_ lost them." I turned my face away, biting the hood of my jacket to restrain myself.

I felt a small hand on my back, comforting. "Ian." Sunny said softly. "Don't lose hope yet. We have a definite lead on the situation. We need to keep trying until there's no other option. I'm sorry for what I said. I'm just feeling desperate, like you. Hang in there. We're not beaten yet."

I was unable to agree with her assessment, but I nodded anyhow, glad she was with me. "Okay." I said, my voice rough. "Let's find those seekers." I couldn't see Sunny, but I was sure she was smiling. "That's the spirit. Let's."

We drove for a while, on the by now nearly empty freeway. Finally we arrived at the address the grocer had listed on his instructions. I stared up at the tall, ornate building, feeling intimidated. "So what now?" Sunny sighed. "No plan yet. But there's not much we can plan. I need to go in."

I looked at her, watching her seem to steel herself against these enemies, her people. I felt a sudden rush of gratitude. I hadn't done anything since we left besides sit in the passenger seat and think of dumb ideas. "Sunny-" I started- "thank you, for everything." She turned to me. "Ian, they're my family too. But you're welcome, anyhow. And thank you."

She held my gaze for a moment, then clapped her hands briskly. "Now, a plan..."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I know it's been ages since I've updated, I'm really sorry. I'll try to more often. **

**I hope this chapter doesn't seem too far-fetched, I was having a little trouble connecting the Ian/Sunny storyline with Wanda and Kellan's.**

**That said, I hope you enjoy it!**

**As always, feedback and reviews are welcomed.**

**:)**

WANDA

I told Kellan my whole story, from Mel to Jared and Jamie and then Jeb and the caves, though I didn't disclose their whereabouts. Though he was human, Kellan was in the seeker department, and I wasn't sure whether he was just a very good investigator, though my intuition told me I could trust him.

Finally I leaned back on the chair he had offered, rocking Lyell, who had just woken up and was cranky. Kellan looked at him with an expression that was almost longing. Finally he hesitantly extended his hands. "May I?" he asked haltingly. I reached forward and laid Lyell in his outstretched arms.

Kellan seemed to fold around my child in a natural, rather beautiful way. His expression was almost that of a father seeing his own son, and I suppose he must have felt a bond with this human child, who was like him in many ways. He bounced Lyell gently, and Lyell rewarded him with a surprised, curious expression. Their eyes met, and held for a brief moment.

Then Lyell gave a little gurgling smile. Kellan looked at me, with an astonished smile so big it brightened his face like sunlight. Whatever grains of distrust I had had for him vanished. "It's magical, isn't it?" he whispered.

It suddenly struck me that, however human Kellan really was, he was much more like a soul than any that had lived in the caves. Here was a man who understood the souls inside and out, who practically _was _one. Yet he had been faced with a barrage of lies and troubles, and had been more resilient through it all than the souls around him.

I studied him deeply. Tougher than the most brutal seeker in the face of deceit. My mind went in circles trying to reach a conclusion as to whether this was good or bad. Lyell started squirming again, and Kellan handed him back to me reluctantly, then noticed my intense gaze.

"What, not manly enough for you?" he said playfully. I gave him a half-smile. _On the contrary._ "I've always had a soft spot for kids." he continued. "They're rare enough. That's a real treasure you've got there." I smiled for real this time. "I know." I agreed.

Then I dared a question. "So what exactly do you do here?" Kellan leaned back, adjusting his position as he sat on the desk. "Knew it was coming around to that." he said. I bit my lip, hoping I hadn't ruined the trust between us. Kellan frowned. "You see," he started, "things aren't as simple around here as the souls make them out to be."

My eyes widened as he explained. Apparently, the human children had become a problem. Those in Kellan's generation, and those a few years younger, were by now old enough to completely comprehend the problem. They made the souls uneasy by virtue of being human, but the souls close to them, their parents and friends, didn't want to lose the person inside the shell by having them inserted.

Of course most souls eventually gave up their children. They were elementally much more soul than human like the bodies they inhabited, and could see the problems full-grown humans would cause running among them. They pushed their battling emotions aside and dutifully brought their sons and daughters to the healing facility. But this didn't stop the problems.

The souls who had given their children up for insertion were unstable, torn between guilt and respect for their culture and species. Meanwhile, the human children remaining grew uncontrollable. When they became old enough to understand what was happening they became rebellious. A whole new branch of the tiny human resistance was forming, that of the runaways.

Here Kellan grew bitter. "Things were getting too out-of-hand, too unstable for those who control the souls. They instated a new policy. Human children were to be inserted at birth, whether the mother and father chose to raise them or not. This would avoid conflict later on, and danger to your fragile governing forces." The expression in his eyes grew darker. "The only ones allowed conflict are _them_."

I was taken aback by what he was implying. _Conflict._ In the soul's _government._ Neither of those words applied to souls. And _fragile_? "What's going on?" I asked slowly. "The souls don't have a government. They're peaceful and efficient by nature." Except for me. Kellan shook his head. "Most are, supposedly. But not all."

Kellan continued. "Who do you think decides what planet they next invade, what's broadcasted on their televisions, what to do about loose humans?" I frowned. "The scientists, TV producers, and seekers, respectively." Kellan shook his head. "Wrong, wrong, and... right. The seekers. The most brutal souls you can find."

I stared in disbelief at Kellan as he spoke. "There's a group of about ten, give or take maybe two seekers that keep watch over Earth. A couple of the most respected of them commune with similar people on other planets." I bit my lip. "How do you _know_ all this? Why would they tell you?" Here he smiled. "Isn't it obvious? They want to recruit me."

I blinked. "They want to recruit _you_ to govern the souls? A human?" He rolled his eyes. "Well, of course they don't know about that. They only see me as the tough, determined head of the investigative department, someone who could control and improve their system."

I was at a loss for words. This human, who had been around for only a fraction of my lifetime, had just put into question everything I'd known about my species. I filed the information to process later, then shook my head to clear my mind. "So the souls have a government... Where does that leave us?"

Kellan bit his lip. "I guess... I mean, you have a place, a home. I'll help you get back." I swallowed. Could it really be that easy? All the activity tonight, all the fear, the pain, the dread I had felt, could it really be over just because I was in the right place at the right time and Kellan was rescuing me? I looked at him again, into his deep black eyes. "Kellan, I'm so grateful."

He stared at me for a long moment, then smiled. "I'm glad you came to me, instead of somewhere else. Now, let's get you out of here."

Five minutes later, Kellan had donned his jacket and glasses, and I had assumed a terrified look. I had gotten so good at lying. Kellan took me by the arm. "Ready?" he asked, with one last look at me. I nodded. We opened the door into the darkened investigation room, then to proceeded to the office door. I took a deep breath as he opened it.

SUNNY

I took a deep breath as I shut the car door behind me and gathered my thoughts. I was going to need every ounce of acting and lying skills I'd ever had to pull this off. I closed my eyes for a moment, wanting nothing more than to turn back. Every instinct I had cautioned me not to try this. _For Wanda. _I thought. _You're doing this for Wanda and Lyell._ I squared my shoulders, feeling determined. Then I started acting.

I ran across the cement toward the building door. When I reached it, I thrust it open dramatically, letting it bang open on the marble. I halted, panting. Two seekers standing talking were turned to stare at me. "Can I help you, miss?" said the male. I readied myself. "Please take me to the place they take humans. Quickly!" I tried to act hysterical. "I need to go there." The female seeker looked concerned. "You need a Healer?" I shook my head. "No!" I said violently. "Take me where the seekers take the humans."

A sort of confused authority came over the first seeker's face. "I'm sorry, ma'am. That information is restricted to visitors. Would you like someone to drive you to a Caregiver or a Healer?" The man obviously thought I was deranged. "I need to go to the place inside this station. Just take me there, now!" The man seemed more and more blank and controlled, but the female seeker was looking at me curiously.

"Maybe we ought to take her to Kellan, Amos. He could probably deal with this better than us," said the woman. Amos frowned. "Kellan is busy tonight. He has a case with a human child." My heart leapt. _A human child. Lyell. It had to be._

I kept quiet for a moment, hoping against hope that Amos would be swayed by his coworker. Instead, he turned and put a hand on the small of my back- a gesture of authority, not of kindness. "We can have a healer pick you up, if you wish." he said firmly. I knew a lost cause when I saw one. "No, I have a car I can take." I said, backing away.

Ian's face was terrible to behold when I slipped back into the car, feeling resigned and defeated. His eyes were bleak and not even sorrowful anymore- I had a sudden feeling that he would have thrown himself off a bridge had one been handy. I shuddered. I was so- human- now, even imagining the horrifying scene.

He did not look at me as I told the story, but when I finished, he turned to face me. "Sunny." he said, his voice raw with pain. "You must go back in. Or let me go in. I can't lose them. I'll go, I'll fight my way through the seekers. I don't care if I die, just let them come back to the caves, let them be safe. You can come after me. I'll kill the seekers, you go back and get Wanda and Lyell."

Ian seemed locked in a sort of dream state. He looked right through me as he spoke, and my gut twisted with horror at what he was suggesting. He would kill, kill so many innocents, just for the slightest chance of saving his loved ones. Then I thought suddenly of Kyle, and something in my mind shifted. Wasn't that what love was, this twisted, beautiful, incredible human emotion?

I would kill for Kyle. If it was Kyle trapped in that building, I would kill for him. I felt sick, dizzy at the thought, but I knew it was true. I opened the car door. The fresh air that wafted in calmed me somewhat, but I still felt terrible, monstrous. For a moment I wished I was back with the bears, back where everything was simpler, where none of this had happened.

Then Kyle came into my mind once again. No. I wasn't even a soul anymore. These humans had changed me, changed me too much, and I wouldn't take it back if I could. I took a deep breath. Too much of me agreed with Ian right now. I quashed that part of me. In this instance, I had to be the voice of reason.

"Ian, we can't go in, not now. But wait until the seekers I talked to leave, and I'll go back. Think of the good part. We're closer. Now we know who we're looking for." Ian gave a little moan as he turned away.

It was half an hour before we saw the two seekers come out of the building together, then go opposite directions toward their cars. I slipped out of the car, straightening the clothes I wore and taking on a more professional facade this time, marching smartly through the large doors.

I went deeper into the building this time before encountering at last a soul- three of them, in fact, sitting behind a long information desk. I approached the first, trying to act confident. "I need to see Kellan." I said. The man looked up. "Kellan is busy." I let out what was trying to be a huff. "It is of the utmost importance." I hesitated, then added, "it's about the human child."

The seeker looked reluctant as he took up the phone and punched in a few numbers. In a moment to myself at last, I thought fully of what I was doing. So I was going to see the man the humans went to. I felt almost terrorized for a moment, imagining him, who he was, what he did. Then I realized that, once again, I was thinking like a human. As far as they knew, I wasn't the enemy.

The man looked up, holding the phone to his ear. "What shall I say your name is?" he asked. I hesitated, then decided there was no point in giving him something false. "Sunlight Passing Through the Ice." I said clearly, feeling odd. No one had called me that in ages, but here I was among people who would understand it's meaning.

Indeed, the man did. He smiled at me as I said it. Tucking the phone away from his mouth, he responded, "I was a bear too. My name is Carves Great Palaces." I smiled, happy for this connection, that seemed foreign after so short a time.

Then he pulled the phone back into the proper position. "Yes, hello. This is Carver. I have someone here to see Mr. Kellan." There was a pause. "Yes, it seems important. Could you patch me through to him? Thank you." He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment, then straightened in his chair as someone came on the phone.

"Hello, Kellan? This is Carver." Another pause. "I have a woman here to see you." Pause. "Sure, thank you." He looked at me, and began handing the phone over. I felt a sudden wave of dread as I took it. What was I going to say?

"Hello?" I started tremulously. A deep, masculine voice came through the phone. "To whom am I speaking?" I bit my lip. "My name is Sunlight Passing Through the Ice. I need to speak to you in private. It's about the human child."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry, I know it's been ages.**

**This chapter is a bit short, but I'll try to put more up soon.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Please review if you can :)**

**And without further ado:**

**Chapter 8**

WANDA

As we walked through the office door, the receptionist looked up at us with an expression of faint surprise. "Kellan! I have a call for you right here. I was just about to put it through to you." Kellan frowned. "I'm busy. Have them call back." The receptionist looked a bit cowed. "She said it's urgent, sir. It's about-" she dropped off, eyes darting to Lyell. I clutched him instinctively closer.

Kellan glanced down at me. From the receptionist's position, it would have looked like he was taking a moment to gage my stability and decide whether to accept the call, but I could detect the question in his slightly raised eyebrows. I gave an almost imperceptible shrug. I couldn't see how it would affect me much, not when I was already under Kellan's control and protection. He reached for the phone.

Before speaking, he turned and looked meaningfully at the receptionist. "Would you mind stepping out for a minute, Still Wings?" She bowed respectfully out. "Of course. Call me back when you're finished."

Kellan turned his whole attention to the conversation at hand. "To whom am I speaking?" he asked. I heard the response, scratchy through the phone. "My name is Sunlight Passing Through the Ice. I need to speak to you in private. It's about the human child." My heart leapt. "Yes!" I said, trying to keep my voice down. "Let her come here."

Kellan looked curiously at me, then back away. "Can you have someone escort you to my office? My receptionist can buzz you in." There was another pause, then he hung up. He looked at me once, an unreadable expression on his face, then opened the door and peeked out.

"Still Wings, I'm going to go back to the interrogation room. Will you send in the girl when she arrives?" Still Wings hurried back in. "Yes, sir. Thank you." Kellan smiled. "Thank _you_." he responded. Then he pulled me roughly back through the door.

"Who is Sunlight Passing Through the Ice?" he asked urgently. I smiled. "She's from the caves! She's a soul, but she lives with the humans, like I do. Didn't I mention her?" Kellan's shoulders relaxed. "You said there was another soul with you, but you didn't name names."

I frowned. "Why would she be here, though?" I wondered aloud. Then, dismissively, I replied to myself, "she's probably just been sent by the others to see where I am." I felt a little uneasy, though. What if she was here with Ian, or Melanie, or Jamie? I didn't want to put any of them in danger.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Kellan said clearly. And Sunny walked through the door. Her face was an extremely welcome sight, but she looked very nervous. "Wanda!" she exclaimed, then fell silent instantly. I smiled welcomingly at her. "Don't worry." I told her. "He's a friend."

JAMIE

I chewed my lip anxiously. I was sitting alone on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I could hear, distantly, Mel sobbing. Ian had been hard on her, but knowing Mel, I thought it was more just the fact that Wanda and Lyell were gone, and Ian and Sunny had gone after her.

Maybe, if I was a girl, I'd be crying too. I had to smile wryly at this. Melanie hated that kind of thing. Then something in my chest gave a wrenching throb, and I curled on my side to assauge the sudden pain. I closed my eyes after a minute, and soon I was drifting into sweet oblivion.

In my dream, I was running in the desert- outside- I never went outside, except when we went on raids. I looked down- there was a small boy running by my side. _Lyell, _I thought. Lyell three years from now. The way it should be, if we were all just a normal family on normal earth without the souls. But as this thought occurred to me, Lyell vanished from my side. No, I realized. This- all the life I now loved, and wouldn't change for anything- was because of the souls. Having Melanie, and Jared, and Jeb, and Ian and Kyle, and especially- especially Wanda and Lyell and Sunny- that was because of the souls. And as much as I missed my dad and my old life, I loved the one I had now.

Raised voices pulled me out of my sleep. I stumbled blearily down the hall to where Melanie and Jared were. Melanie was curled up, knees tucked under her chin. Jared was standing nose-to-nose with Kyle, trying to calm him. Kyle was screaming.

"How dare you! How dare you let them leave! You thought they could just slip away and no one would tell me, oh no, no one would tell me that everyone important to me just slipped away on a secret mission! DID YOU THINK I WOULDN'T BE MAD OR SOMETHING?" Kyle bellowed.

Jared put his hands on Kyle's shoulders, but Kyle threw them off. "Calm down, O'Shea!" Jared exclaimed. "They'll be back soon. Sunny will be fine." I stared at the situation. For a moment, I had almost forgotten that they were gone, but this brought the whole thing back, like a bad dream I thought I had just woken up from.

Kyle sucked in a great breath, and I prepared for more screaming, but it just came out in a great shuddering sob. I leaned against the wall of the cave. I wasn't sure if I was more pleased that Kyle was capable of showing an emotion that wasn't anger or more disconcerted by the fact that Kyle, _Kyle_ was crying.

Mel saw me, then. "Jamie." she called, softly. I glanced furtively at Jared, who was looking bewildered, and awkwardly attempting to pat one of Kyle's shoulders. I walked over to where Melanie sat. She uncurled herself and patted the floor next to her. I seated myself, and she slipped an arm around my shoulders. I was taller than her, now, and she had to look up to meet my eyes.

"Hey." She said softly. "You okay?" I shrugged, and she sighed. "Yeah, why do I ask, huh?" There was a moment's silence. "I want-" I started, my voice rough, "I want to go after them. I know it's not sensible, but I need to know how they are." Melanie squeezed my shoulder. "I know. I want to too. But we can't just keep making this worse. They can handle themselves. And if they're not back for a while, we'll go look. But we can't, yet, not until we're sure-" Melanie left off her sentence abruptly. She didn't need to finish it. _Not until we're sure they're not coming back._


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Here it is!**

**Please read and review :)**

SUNNY

Wanda was there. Wanda, whole, with Lyell, looking fine. And she said the person next to her was a friend. I trusted her without question, too happy to see her at first to care who the man was. I threw my arms around her and Lyell, hugging her tightly. "Oh, Wanda." I said softly. "I thought we'd never find you."

She jerked out of my arms suddenly. "We?" she asked sharply. "Who's 'we'?" I bit my lip. She wasn't going to like this part. "Ian. But he's in the car, don't worry. He's promised to wait for me." Wanda drew her breath in with a hiss. "Ian doesn't do well when he's upset. Like Kyle." she pointed out.

My stomach clenched as I thought of Kyle, hoping he hadn't discovered I had left yet. It was true. I remembered hearing about when Wanda had first arrived in the caves and Kyle and Ian had attacked her. "But Ian's different. More sensible than Kyle." I smiled wryly. "Kyle's never been so level-headed as him."

Wanda was still frowning. She looked up at the man beside her. "Kellan, we need to go." Kellan's brows came down. "Who's Ian?" he asked in a melodious voice. Wanda sighed. "He's my partner. A human." I glanced from Wanda to Kellan and back. "Wanda-" I started warningly, but Kellan broke through. "Ma'am-" he pulled off his glasses and looked straight at me, his warm, dark eyes striking in their purity. "I'm human too."

Kellan explained his story quickly. Wanda was twitchy as a fish out of water, anxious about Ian. I took Lyell, who was beginning to wake, agitated, from her arms. I was awed by the tale. "There's hope for you, then." I said when he had finished. Kellan smiled. "Perhaps."

Then, to Wanda's obvious relief, we were ready to leave. We slid neatly into our roles- Kellan as the serious interrogator, Wanda as the frightened soul with her baby, me as the professional accompaniment. We walked accordingly out of the office and down the long hall to the huge doors.

KELLAN

A receptionist looked up expectantly at us as we passed. I cleared my throat. "I'm taking the woman with her child for insertion at Sun Glade." I said, naming the closest healing facility. My heart pounded. I was certain they didn't suspect anything, but the secrecy of the situation still sent adrenaline racing through me.

She nodded, and we continued through the doors and onto the street. I heard the footsteps of another seeker not far behind us, so I lowered my voice and said to Sunny, "Get back into your car with Ian and follow us." She gave no impression of having heard me, but when we reached a point, she began walking in the opposite direction towards the car they had brought.

I helped Wanda into the backseat of my cruiser and slipped in the front. I made sure Sunny was ready with a glance in my rearview mirror, then headed out onto the street.

We drove out past the healing facility in a few minutes, to an old brick school building that had not yet been refurbished for use by the souls. I parked and turned off the engine, watching Sunny do the same behind me. A little ways back, another set of headlights flicked off. I frowned, but decided it was nothing.

I got out of the car, helping Wanda out of the back. Lyell was asleep at her chest, and I found my eyes lingering on the tiny form for several seconds. Here, in these rebel invaders, was hope for my species. Manifested in this one, tiny individual. How had the souls not predicted this, not realized that the human mothering instinct would be the obstacle they could not overcome in completely occupying the planet? Even in non-rebel souls like my mother, the conundrum was overwhelming.

Sunny had gotten out of her car, by now, and from the passenger's side emerged a man about my height, with dark, curly hair. I couldn't help but stand and stare. A fellow human, a thing I rarely saw. He strode forward and took Wanda in his arms, kissing her forehead and Lyell's.

Sunny came to stand beside me. "Isn't it magical?" she said quietly. "We really can work together. It's not so hard, in the caves." I felt a sudden ache in my chest. They were so lucky, lucky to have a place where each of them could be entirely themselves.

Sunny led me over to meet Ian. He shifted so he was holding Wanda under one arm and reached out to shake my hand. "Kellan." he said in greeting. "Sunny's told me about you." I smiled as I grasped his hand. "It's good to meet you."

It really was. There was an odd pulling feeling in my core. I gravitated toward this human, this man who was in so many ways like me. I longed to see their caves, to visit a society that I myself truly fit into. I realized suddenly that this was the end of the night's little adventure, the happy end. Happy for them.

I would miss it. I wanted more, more of Wanda and Lyell and Sunny and Ian, who I had barely met. Next to the other people in my life, they seemed so real. Ian took Lyell from Wanda, lifting his son into his arms, and I felt a surge of jealousy. "Thank you." he said wholeheartedly. "I owe you the lives of my wife and my son."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It was my pleasure." I said quietly. As Ian and Sunny walked back towards their car, Wanda came to me and hugged me tightly. It was a welcome surprise. I hugged her back, aware that this was the first real hug I'd gotten since my mother had died. "Thank you." she whispered. I started to respond, then stopped. Someone was walking toward us, quietly, from the car that had parked a ways behind me. Then I heard the unmistakeable beep of a radio like the one I carried.

We'd been followed.

MELANIE

I sat silent, one hand rubbing circles on the tiny protrusion of my belly. It had been hours since Wanda and Lyell had left the caves to seek medical help, and I felt horrifyingly sure they would not return, or at least not before they had received fresh pink lines at the base of their scalps. My last tears had stopped an hour ago. Now I walked dismally down the cave to the tunnel that Jeb inhabited.

I didn't need to say anything. When I shook Jeb awake and he followed me out into the hall, he took one look at my face and nodded curtly.

It was amazing how quickly and smoothly it all went. Within fifteen minutes, the cave entrance was half-blocked by a stack of small bundles, put together from blankets or old sweatshirts or backpacks to carry out when the time came. There were only three snags- Maggie, Sharon, and Lacey.

I met Maggie and Sharon in the hall yelling as one voice at a resigned-looking Jeb. I didn't have time for them. I stepped neatly between the three of them. "You!" Maggie screamed. "Little bitch, this is your fault. You've given yourself over to a _centipede_. You may as well be one of the insects yourself! I'd squash you under my heel for the trouble you've caused if I could, Melanie Strider. Our life was fine until you and your precious _worm_ arrived!"

I'd like to say I wouldn't have done it were it not such a bad time, but I probably would have. My fingers made a very satisfying smack as they contacted her cheek. I stood breathing hard for a moment, until a hand came up, grabbing me by the collar and hoisting me half-off the ground, threatening to cut off my air.

It was a bad time for Sharon to intervene. I was in the heat of the moment. I swung one of my knees up, indifferent to where it would land. It hit hard just below her sternum. Gasping in pain, she released me. I stood victorious over my opponents. "Don't _ever_," I panted, "_ever, _call Wanda a worm, you filthy- filthy _humans_." For Wanda, that was as close to an insult as you could get- at least before she met the cave people.

The snag with Lacey was less confrontational. Lacey's bark was worse than her bite. I waited through five minutes of her complaining, then told her angrily to shut up and pack, and, to my mild surprise, she did, fuming.

In half an hour, we were grouped by the door, each gripping a small package of food, bottled water, and small belongings. Most people also carried other supplies- medicine for Doc, seeds from the garden, and other things that belonged to all of us. I carried a large pack with extra food and Heal.

We moved silently out into the pre-dawn light. We had no emergency plan- it would have been impractical, when any one of us could have been taken by the souls and had all the knowledge of one. Jeb was leading us, though, and seemed to know where he was going.

Within about two hours, we had arrived at a huge boulder, seemingly attached to the side of a small hill. It's odd placement meant that it created an odd sort of roof over a space about three to five feet high, depending on where you were underneath it. It was genius, really. From above, it would look like a boulder lying flat on the ground, though it really had room enough that we could shelter together underneath it, albeit being rather crowded.

I followed Jared back to just where the little shelter ended and sat down in the cool sand. Jared took me under his arm and placed one hand on my belly. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead and whispered, "It'll all work out." I didn't believe him, so I didn't respond, just laid my head on his shoulder.

We sat quietly like that for a long time. When the sun finally crested the horizon, I felt too sleepy and miserable to stay awake, waiting, any longer. Laying my head on Jared's lap, I fell quickly into oblivion.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews! I love reading them. **

**This one starts right where the last chapter left off, so if you haven't read 9, read it first. :)**

**I hope you like it!**

**Thanks for reading.**

KELLAN

I reached for the holster on my belt that held my gun- the most dangerous weapon we carried, which shot tranquilizer darts capable of knocking a grown man out for several hours. Keeping my arms around Wanda, I whispered into her ear. "Someone's followed us, and we may have to make a run for it. Get everyone into the cruiser, and act casual."

Wanda gently broke out of the hug. Her eyes were frightened, but amazingly she managed to keep her posture and body language neutral. I watched her walk to the others and whisper something in Ian's ear. Then I turned my attention back to the approaching figure.

Trying to draw attention away from the three people climbing into my cruiser, I walked quickly towards the Seeker. When I was close enough to make out his face in the dim light, I realized I recognized him.

His name was James Mulligan. He had taken the name from his earth host, which was his first. He had no wife or children, and was very devoted to his job. I had always liked the man, from a distance. He was honest and simple, focused and to-the-point with everything related to Seeking, though he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so to speak. As he approached now, I felt a sense of dread seep through me. I didn't want to be in conflict with him. He wasn't someone I could throw easily off the trail, and I didn't want to be forced to subdue someone I respected.

"Hello, James." I said when we were close enough to speak. He nodded. "Hello, Kellan." He replied briefly. He peered over my shoulder. "What's the situation with your- passengers?" He asked. There was a suspicious tone in his voice, one that made me uneasy. I kept a calm front. "I'm taking the soul Deep Song and her son to Sun Glade." I hesitated, unsure of how to explain Sunny and Ian's presence. "The other two are a couple." I finally said. "Only the man has a driver's license, and he's ill. I told them I'd take them to Sun Glade for healing and then give them a ride back to the car."

James' eyebrows came down. "You've passed Sun Glade. It's half a mile behind us." I nodded. "I wanted to keep that car in view," I said, motioning toward the car Sunny and Ian had been driving and hoping James had not been following closely enough to watch the whole situation. "I didn't pull them over until I was sure there was something wrong."

James still looked suspicious when I was finished, but less so, and more concerned. "Let me take the couple," he offered. "I'm not busy this time of night. You don't need to worry about little cases like these." Here he actually smiled. "You have bigger things to focus on, Kellan. I can deal with them." I felt a stab of regret. He was just being helpful, but I had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"I'm fine, thanks," I replied, "I'm going to Sun Glade anyhow. It's really no trouble to drop them off. You should go home and get some rest." Now James frowned. "Kellan, is there something you're keeping from me?" I bit my lip. God, was it that obvious? "No." I said shortly, before I realized how unconvincing that sounded. "I mean- of course not. Why would I hide something from you? It would just be more convenient for me to take them to Sun Glade. And besides- the two women are friends. It'll be good for them to be there together. You know, support each other."

It was a last-ditch attempt to salvage the situation without using force. Unfortunately, James didn't seem to be falling for my desperate babbling. "The two women are friends." James repeated slowly. "These are two cases entirely separate from one another?" His tone was deeply skeptical. I gave a short, forced chuckle. "I know. Funny how these things happen, huh?"

James didn't reply. After a long pause, he began walking toward my cruiser. "I'm just gonna take a look at these people." he said as he ambled off. I was between him and my cruiser in a moment. "No!" I commanded. James looked taken aback. "Kellan, I just want to check your facts. No big deal. Not unless you're hiding something." I shook my head forcefully. "No, I'm not. It's just- tensions are a little high in there. I don't want you to make any of them uncomfortable."

This was greeted by another long silence. James stared at me searchingly for several moments. Then he shook his head. "Something funny's going on here." he said shortly. Pulling his radio out of the holster on his belt, he pressed the talk button on the side. "Send me backup. I have a conflict in front of the old schoolhouse."

WANDA

Everything happened very fast. We had just closed the doors on the back of the cruiser and gotten ourselves as comfortable as possible in the small, unyielding rear seats when Kellan jumped into the front seat, slamming the door and starting the car in an instant. "Hold on." he cautioned briefly. Then we swerved onto the road and began to race down it.

I had never gone that fast in a car before. The engine roared, the surroundings blurred as we passed. I was holding on tightly to the door. Sunny looked terrified. "Where are we going?" I asked Kellan after our speed seemed to have stabilized. "Doesn't matter." Kellan said tightly. "James Mulligan was about to inadvertently ruin everything your humans have worked for. I'm just losing him. Then we can figure out what to do next."

I didn't respond. I was thinking what Kellan had just done for us. He had probably just become a fugitive. Now that they were suspicious, the souls would likely examine him further if they caught him. Now that the souls were suspicious. The thought didn't even make sense in my head. "Kellan," Ian started suddenly, "do you carry a radio, or anything that could be tracked?" Kellan turned his head to glance at Ian. "You're sharp." He commented. He undid the snaps on a holster clipped to his belt and pulled his radio out. Rolling down the window, he tossed the device into the dark night.

After about ten minutes of speeding down the road, Kellan made several abrupt turns through side streets, then parked and turned off then engine. There was a collective sigh of relief as the four of us relaxed into the still silence of the night. Kellan turned in his seat to face us. "What now?" he asked.

I bit my lip. I could think of no real solution but one. I had told Kellan so much already- I had been stupid not to warn him that it came with an obligatory cyanide pill. Stupid, too, not to withold more. It seemed that my loose lips would now seal Kellan's fate. We couldn't allow him to be here where there was a chance of capture.

It was Ian, though, who spoke first. "Will you join us in the caves? If Wanda has told you all about us already, it seems there is not much choice." Kellan inhaled deeply, shakily. "You would let me..." he trailed off. Sunny reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "Kellan, everyone would be happy to have you join us." Kellan looked at me, as if for one last assurance. I smiled. "Of course we would." I agreed.

Kellan took one more deep breath. "There's something I haven't told you." he admitted. I tensed, mind jumping to find the worst possible conclusion. _Kellan is human_, I told myself. He couldn't betray us, not now. Not with everything I had learned about him. Kellan was biting his lip. "I have a sister." he said finally.

Ian was frowning thoughtfully. "A biological sister?" he asked. Kellan nodded briefly. "She's still human." he said after a moment, answering the question that hung unspoken in the air. I sighed with relief. This was not a dangerous secret. "Does she use the same alibi as you?" I asked. Kellan shook his head. "You see-" He broke off his sentence and sighed. "Yes?" Ian prompted after a moment.

Kellan bit his lip again. "Adia was born without legs." he said, as if stating a simple fact. His eyes, though, were careful, probing us for our reactions. Sunny frowned deeply. "Without _legs_?" Kellan bristled visibly. "There's nothing wrong with her." he said sharply. Then he sighed. "That was uncalled for, I'm sorry." he said. "But it's a bit of a sore spot. The reason she could never go out in public was because she would have been recognized as a human. Because your kind don't think her 'damaged' body is worth even living in."

I felt a stab of guilt at his words. It was true. But... "I'm sorry." I said, on behalf of my race. "Not that there are any excuses, but remember that it's not the soul bound to live in the body that makes the choice, but the healer that inserts them. It's one thing to decide for yourself that you want to live in a way that could compromise you- another for the healer to decide to bind someone into that situation." Kellan looked at me for a long moment, then nodded. "That's true. However, I want you to know that, physically, Adia is not compromised in the ways you might think. She usually uses a wheelchair to get around because she feels comfortable that way, but she can function fine without one."

There was another short pause after this, then Kellan continued. "Adia is 18. She was born when I was eleven, and she was only seven when our parents left. My mother made me swear that I would take care of her. I was old enough that it wasn't an issue, and she was very responsible already. My mother had coached her since she was tiny about the dangers of the outdoors, so there wasn't any fear she would run off." Ian frowned. "She never went outdoors?"

Kellan sighed, and I noticed that, though Ian's question carried the same tone as Sunny's had, Kellan did not object immediately and strongly as he had to Sunny's. _It's because Ian's human_, I thought. _Kellan was only upset about Sunny's question because she represents the souls to him, represents us. Represents _them, I corrected. _This is probably the first time he's been able to vent his feelings to a soul since his parents left._

"She goes outdoors sometimes." Kellan said at last. "But only at night. She's never been noticed by anyone, and we mean to keep it that way." This was followed by a long silence, and then Kellan turned back in his seat so he was facing away from us. "You want to go in?" he asked.

A few minutes later, we had all piled out of the door to discover that Kellan had parked us directly in front of a small yellow house, which he was opening the door to. We followed him into a spacious coatroom that opened onto a cozy living room. "Wait here just a minute." Kellan instructed us. "And make yourself at home." he added with a smile. Then he disappeared down a flight of carpeted stairs.

I sat carefully on the couch to nurse Lyell, who had woken up again. Ian walked off to explore, and Sunny flopped down next to me with a sigh. "It's been so long since I've been in a real house." she said with relish. "I have to admit, though I love living with Kyle and all of you guys, I've missed this." I smiled. I couldn't quite sympathize. I had only lived in a "real house" for a very short time before coming to live in the caves. They were normal to me.

After a minute Ian returned. "Not much up here." he commented. "There's one bedroom, but it doesn't look very lived-in. Neither does the kitchen, and it's tiny. They must live almost all down there." he speculated, pointing to the stairwell Kellan had just taken. In another minute, Kellan reappeared up the stairs. "Adia wants to see you." he said cautiously. "We should take it slow, though. She's not used to seeing other people, or at least interacting with them."

Sunny smiled. "She'll be coming to the caves, of course?" Kellan looked apprehensive. "I can't leave her here alone. Is that alright?" Sunny looked at him as she would an especially adorable pet. "Aw, Kellan, of course she can come. Don't be so worried about these things. You humans and we human-wannabees have to stick together." I chuckled. Human-wannabees. That was a good way to put it.

Kellan took a deep breath. "Okay, come on down." he said, a little bit as if he was inviting us to bungee jump. One by one, we filed down the stairs after him.


End file.
